Published: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 11:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 11:01 p.m.

Newly elected City Commissioner Cheryl Cook committed a dozen financial and other violations of state law during her campaign last summer, according to the Florida Elections Commission.

It was Cook's first campaign.

The violations, which she admitted to, are unlikely to be deemed serious enough to affect her term in office or lead to criminal prosecution.

The commission's report states that Cook admitted to the errors because she had not been aware of the rules.

Cook has until April 14 to request a hearing before either the commission or an administrative law judge — or she can try to reach an agreement to pay fines for each of the 12 counts.

Charline Cristofari, a former friend of Cook who supported candidate Sam Jones in the same race, filed a complaint with the commission after reviewing Cook's campaign records.

Cristofori says that the records, which had to be amended, were “a mess.”

Most of the violations regarded Cook's use of cash, instead of checks from her campaign account, in May and June to pay for a compact disc, printing, business cards, car magnets, shirts and a website.

Cook told investigators she used cash for the purchases because she had not yet received checks for her campaign account.

State law requires candidates to use petty cash only for office supplies and transportation, Jaacken A. Williams, assistant general counsel for the commission, reported.

In some cases, such as the shirts and car magnets, Cook reportedly also violated a rule that petty cash cannot be used for expenditures exceeding $100.

Cook also erred by using a money order, rather than a check, to pay her candidate qualifying fee, the commission reported.

Cristofari also complained that Cook's yard signs violated the law.

Cook reportedly admitted that she failed to put the disclosure “paid political advertising” on campaign yard signs.

After learning of the mistake, Cook later attached stickers that stated the signs were political advertising paid for and approved by her.

She sent photos of the corrected signs to the commission.

The commission also cited Cook for filing an incomplete campaign finance report in which one contributor's address was listed as “unknown” and itemized contributions and expenditures were not given required sequence numbers.

Cook did not return an email or phone message asking for comment Monday.

Cristofari said she became upset with Cook because Cook assured her she would not run against Jones.

“She split the vote,” causing Jones to get knocked out of the race in a primary, Cristofari said.

Cristofari said that, after discovering the violations, she did not think it was right for “one candidate to not follow rules the others are following.”

An attorney for the Florida Elections Commission said the agency does not comment about any case that is still pending and that the staff could not speculate on what fines could be imposed by the commission or a judge.

<p>Newly elected City Commissioner Cheryl Cook committed a dozen financial and other violations of state law during her campaign last summer, according to the Florida Elections Commission.</p><p>It was Cook's first campaign.</p><p>The violations, which she admitted to, are unlikely to be deemed serious enough to affect her term in office or lead to criminal prosecution.</p><p>The commission's report states that Cook admitted to the errors because she had not been aware of the rules.</p><p>Cook has until April 14 to request a hearing before either the commission or an administrative law judge — or she can try to reach an agreement to pay fines for each of the 12 counts.</p><p>Charline Cristofari, a former friend of Cook who supported candidate Sam Jones in the same race, filed a complaint with the commission after reviewing Cook's campaign records.</p><p>Cristofori says that the records, which had to be amended, were “a mess.”</p><p>Most of the violations regarded Cook's use of cash, instead of checks from her campaign account, in May and June to pay for a compact disc, printing, business cards, car magnets, shirts and a website.</p><p>Cook told investigators she used cash for the purchases because she had not yet received checks for her campaign account.</p><p>State law requires candidates to use petty cash only for office supplies and transportation, Jaacken A. Williams, assistant general counsel for the commission, reported.</p><p>In some cases, such as the shirts and car magnets, Cook reportedly also violated a rule that petty cash cannot be used for expenditures exceeding $100.</p><p>Cook also erred by using a money order, rather than a check, to pay her candidate qualifying fee, the commission reported.</p><p>Cristofari also complained that Cook's yard signs violated the law.</p><p>Cook reportedly admitted that she failed to put the disclosure “paid political advertising” on campaign yard signs.</p><p>After learning of the mistake, Cook later attached stickers that stated the signs were political advertising paid for and approved by her. </p><p>She sent photos of the corrected signs to the commission.</p><p>The commission also cited Cook for filing an incomplete campaign finance report in which one contributor's address was listed as “unknown” and itemized contributions and expenditures were not given required sequence numbers.</p><p>Cook did not return an email or phone message asking for comment Monday.</p><p>Cristofari said she became upset with Cook because Cook assured her she would not run against Jones. </p><p>“She split the vote,” causing Jones to get knocked out of the race in a primary, Cristofari said.</p><p>Cristofari said that, after discovering the violations, she did not think it was right for “one candidate to not follow rules the others are following.”</p><p>An attorney for the Florida Elections Commission said the agency does not comment about any case that is still pending and that the staff could not speculate on what fines could be imposed by the commission or a judge.</p>